Folding-machine.



No. 868,024. PATENTBD 0GT.15,190'7.

w B. A. SLOGUM.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED HA3. 5. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 868,024. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907. B. A. SLOGUM. FOLDING MACHINE.

Arrmcu'ron rmm nn. s. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nu: Nnkms PETERS co.. umsnmr-mn. I r

. m 868,024. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907. B; A.SLOGUM..

[FOLDING MACHINE. I I APPLICATION FILED AR. 5, 190B.

y Am 1 y I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN A. SLOCUM, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BOSTON MACHINEWORKS COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed March 5, 1906. Serial No- 304,222.

of the United States, and a resident of Lynn, in the county of Essex andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inFolding-Machines, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to folding machines, and particularly to machinesof this class which are adapted to fold the curved edge portion of apiece of leather or other sheet material. A i

In the folding of incurved or concavely curved edges of sheet material,such for instance as the in-. curved edges of a shoe upper or vamp, ithas been the practice to make a plurality of transverse or radial cutsor slits in the concavcly' curved edge portion of the material prior tothe foldingthereof, such cuts or slits usually extending inwardly fromthe edge to approximately the line of the fold. This slitting of theedge portion is done to permit said edge portion to spread out and liein a smooth unwrinkled condition on the body of the material when thefold is 'made. One objection to thus slitting the edge portion prior tofolding is that when the material is folded the line of fold is apt toassume straight lines between the cuts, and the folded edge instead ofbeing a perfect curve is more or less angular. I

I have found from practice that if instead of slitting the incurved edgeportion prior to making the fold said edge portion is stretched properlya much better and more even fold can be made than where the edge portionis slitted. In accordance with my invention, therefore, 1 have embodiedin a folding machine means to stretch the incurved edge portion of thematerial being folded ,prior to the folding operation. 7

In order to get a smoothand perfect fold I have so constructed mystretching device that the material is stretched the maximum amount onthe outer edge and the minimum amount on the line of fold, the amount ofstretch progressively increasing from the line of fold 1 to the edge ofthe material.

I will first describe one embodiment of my invention and then point outthe novel features thereof in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a folding machine having myimproved stretcher applied there to; Fig. 2 is a detail view of thestretcher showing the means for operating it; Fig. 3 is a plan view ofone of the elements of the stretcher; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view ofthe other element, Fig. 5 shows a curved edge of a piece of materialwhich is to be folded; Fig. 6 is an edge view of the material afterbeing stretched preparatory to folding; Fig. 7 is an enlargedperspective view of the stretched edge; Fig. 8 is a view showing thecurved edge' completely folded; Figs. 9 to 13 show different steps in'the operation of stretching and folding an edge.

My'invention may. be embodied in folding machines of various types. Ihave herein shown it as embodied in a machine of the type shown in thepatent to Booth at al. No. 695438, dated March 18, 1902, in which thematerial to be folded is supported on a table, and the folder movestransversely of the table. A folding machine of this type is illustratedand described in a pending application filed January 7, 1904, Serial No.188,063, by Booth, Booth and Flynt, and the machine shown in the presentdrawings is a duplicate of that shown in the Booth, Booth and Flyntapplication so far as the folding elements are concerned. These fold-.ing elements comprise a table 3 on which the material to be foldedrests, a holder 5 for clamping and holding the material on the tableduring the folding operation, said holder having an edge 6 whichconstitutes a former or creaser over which'the fold is made, and afolder 7 which operates to fold the edge portion of the material aboutthe creaser and afterwards to set the fold.

So far as the folding operation of this machine is concerned thematerial is first placed on thetable 3, as

shown in Fig. 9, with the edge thereof to be folded resting against thegage 8 which is' carried by the folder. The holder 5 is then broughtagainst the material and the folder 7 is then elevated, as shown in Fig.11, thereby bending the edge portion 11 of the material up at rightangles to the body thereof; the folder is then projected forwardly, asshown in Fig. 13,:to fold the edge portion 11 about the former (i andthe former is then withdrawn and the folder depressed to set the fold,as shown in Fig. 13.

The means for operating the folder are or may be all as shown in' saidpatent to Booth et al.,or in the application of Booth, Booth and Flynt,above referred to, and as they form no part of my present invention I donotregard it as necessary to specifically describe them.

My invention has special reference to folding the .concavely curved orincurved edges of sheet material such for instance as the incurved edgeshown in Fig. 5.

In accordance with my invention I employ in connection with the folder,above referred to, a stretching attachment for stretching the incurvededge portion of the material to be folded. For instance, in referring toFig. 5, 12 designates the incurved'edge of the material 4 to be folded.Assuming, for instance, that the dotted line 13 designates the line offold, and that the edge portion between the line 13 and the edge 12 isto be folded back on the body of the material it will be obvious that inorder to get a smooth fold without making transverse slits in said edgeportion, the edge 12 will have to be elongated between the pointsa andb.

to equal the distance between the points c and d on the curved line 14,which line indicates the position the edge 1.2 will occupy after thefold is made. The portion of the material, however, along the line offold 13 does not require to be stretched at all, and the materialbetween the lines 12 and 13 must be stretched to a greater or lessextent dependent upon the distance from the edge 12. Where the curvededge is stretched in this manner before folding the folding may beaccomplished without drawing or wrinkling the material, and when foldedthe edge will have smooth and even appearance, as shown in Fig. 8. Thematerial may be thus stretched by any suitable means without de partingfrom my invention. In the 1i articular oinbodiment of the inventionherein shown this stretching is accomplished by two corrugated members15 and 16. The member 15 is shown as mounted on the folder 7, and themember 16 is mounted to be moved toward and from the fixed member 15.

The member 15 is shown as having a plurality of grooves or recesses 17with intermediate ribs between the recesses, and said recesses areherein shown as bc ing of a uniform depth throughout their extent.

The member 16 is provided with a plurality of ribs 18 adapted to enterthe grooves 17, and the ribs are deeper at the inner edge than at theouter edge, each rib tapering both in depth and width to a point, as at.i 9.

1n stretching the material the edge portion to be stretched is placed onthe member 15 over the corrugated portion thereof, and the member 16 isthen brought against the material, said member 16 being so positionedthat the wide edge 20 of the ribs 18 will act on the edge of thematerial while the tapered pointed end 19 of said ribs will engage thematerial on substantially the line 13 of fold. When the two parts of thestretching device are forced together the outer edge 12 of the materialis stretched to a maximum extent, as will be obvious, while the stretchwill be progressively less toward the line of fold 13, the material onsaid line of fold not being stretched at all. The'rcsult will be thatthe edge when stretched will have the appearance shown in Fig. 7, thevery edge 12 of the material being stretched a maximum amount, and anamount equal to the difference between the distances at and b and c and(Z.

When my invention is embodied in the folding ma chine, such asdescribed, 1 preferably mount; both elements of the stretching deviceupon the folder 7, the element 15 being rigidly secured to the folder,and the element 16 being pivotally secured thereto. As herein shown theelement 16 is mounted on ahead 21 which is pivoted to the folder 7, asat 22, and is provided with an arm 23 to which is pivoted a connection24' by means of which the stretching device is operated. This connection2 1 is shown as pivoted at one end to a rocking member 25, suitablypivoted to the frame 26 of the machine, as at 27. One arm of saidrocking member is adapted to be acted on by a reciprocating pin 28 whichmoves up and down in a standard 29 and is acted upon at suitableintervals by a cam 30 carried by the cam-shaft 31. \Vhenever the cam 30acts on the pin 28 the head 21 is rocked, as will be obvious, to cause'the ribs 18 of one stretching element to enter the grooves 17 of theother stretching element. The mechanism for operating the cam 30 is sotimed as to cause this operation to take place at the appropriate timein the cycle .of the folding operation Referring now to Figs. 5) to 13it will be seen that normally the movable element It; of the stretchingdevice is elevated to permit the material 1 to be placed in position onthe folding machine with the edge 12 thereof against the ga 'e S. Theholder 5 is then brought against the material as shown in l ig. it). andimmediately thereafter the head 21 is rocked by suitable mechanism.thereby to bring the t me elenents of the. stretching device together.this movemen ausing the ribs .18 o enter the grooves .17. as shown inFig. to, This results in stretching a portion of the material f adjacent the edge 2.11s shown in Fig. 7, the material be ing stretched thegreatest extent directly at the edge 12. and a minimum extent along thefolding line II. the amount of stretch varying between these pointsaccording to the distance from either. The head 2| is then elevated. asshown in. Fig. ll. and thereafter the folder 10 is also elevated. asshown in said figure. and then moved forwardly. as shown in l ig. [2.thereby curving the stretched edge port ion of the material over theformer (i. The former is then withdrawn by a suitable mechanism. all asshown in said patent and application and the fold ofthe material is setby the folder. as shown in Fig. 13. A perfect ly smooth and even foldcan be made on the curved edge by the mechanism above described withoutthe necessity of slitting said edge as has been done commonlyheretofore. in fact the fold which results from firststretching and thenfolding the edge is more even and le angular than the fold which resultsfrontfirst slitting and then folding the edge. because when the edge isslitt ed the line of fold between adjacent slits is apt to be straightrather than curved, thus giving to the completed edge more or less of anangular appearance.

In order to provide a yielding connection between the movable stretchingelement and the. cam for operating it 1 have shown the connect ion 24 asan elastic one. As herein shown it is made in two sections. one of whichhas the socket 315 into which the other sect ion 36 telescop saidsections being guided in their move ments relative to each other by a.screw or projection it. The section tit has therezm an adjustable collar2H. and interposed between said collar and the other section 24; is aspring 33. This spring will give when the two parts of the stretcher areclosed together. and will thus prevent the stretcher fr 111 tearing orinjuring the material being stretched.

Although I have illustrated my invention herein as applied to the typeof folding machine shown in the Booth ct of patent it will he obvioi sthat. my invention may be used in connection with other types of foldingmachines. such for instance as shown in the patent t Dunn, No. (551,797,dated June l2. ltltll. or Hayward. No. (349,931, May 22. ltiflt). orWilliams No. M3852. January 30. 1894. l desire. therefore. to claim thisstretching feature broadly irrespm'tive of the particn lar foldingmechanism used in conjunction therewith.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters latent is? Y 1. In a folding machine. folding mechanism tofold the edge portion of the work over on to the body thereof. and meansto stretch said edge portion of the worl; prior to the foldingoperation.

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2. In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch at oneoperation an extended part of the edge 'portion of the material to befolded between the line of fold and the edge thereof whereby said edgeis elongated.

In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch the edgeportion of the material to be folded between the line of fold and theedge thereof a varying amount dependent upon the distance from said lineand the edge.

4. In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch thematerial to be folded between the line of fold and the edge of thematerial with'a progressively increasing amount from said line to theedge.

5. In a. folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch theedge portion of the material to be folded in the direction of said edge,said means comprising two corrugated members, and means to move onemember relative to the other. I

(i. in a folding machine, folding mechanism for folding a coucavelycurved edge portion of material over on to the body thereof, combinedwith means to act on and stretch said concaved edge portion prior to thefolding operation.

7. In a folding machine, folding mechanism to fold a concavely curvededge portion of material, combined with means to stretch at oneoperation an extended part of said concavely curved edge portion betweenthe concave edge and the line of fold.

8. In a machine for folding the coneavely curved edge portion of sheetmaterial, the combination with means to stretch at one operationsuchconcavely curved edge portion between the concaved edge thereof and theline of the told with means to fold such stretched edge portion.

9. In a machine for folding the concavely curved edge portion of sheetmaterial, the combination with means to stretch such edge portionbetween the line of fold and the concaved edge of the material aprogressively increasing amount from said line to the edge, of means tofold such stretched edge portion ontothe body of the material.

10. In a machine for folding the-concavely curved edge portion of sheetmaterial, folding mechanism combined with means to stretch suchconcavely curved edge portion betw xn the line of fold and the concavcdedge with av prog .sively increasing amount from said line to the edgeand prior to the folding operation.

11. In a machine for folding the concavely curved edge portion of sheetmaterial, the combination of means to elongate the concavely curved edgeto substantially the length of the curved line occupied by said edgeafter the fold is made, and means to fold the edge portion of thematerial having the elongated edge.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means tostretch the concavcly curved edge portion of the material thereby toelongate the concavely curved edge to substantially the length of thecurved line occupied by said edge after the material is folded, of meansto fold such stretched edge portion.

13. A. folding machine having-in combination folding mechanism to foldthe edge portion of the work back onto the body of the work, and meansto stretch said edge portion between the line of fold and the edge ofthe material prior to the folding operation.

14 A folding machine having in combination folding mechanism to fold theedge portion of the material back onto the body of the. material, andmeans to stretch the edge portion thus folded between the line of foldand the edge of material with a progressively increasing amount fromsaid line to the edge and prior to the folding operation.

15. In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch theedge portion of the material to be folded,

said means comprising two members one having grooves or corrugations ofuniform depth, and the other having ribs of varying depth.

16. In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch theedge portion of the material to be folded. said means comprising twomembers one having grooves or corrugations of uniform depth and theother having tapering substantially V-shaped ribs.

17. In a folding machine, folding mechanism and means to stretch'theedge portion of the material to be folded, said means comprising twomembers one having grooves or corrugations of uniform depth, and theother having ribs tapcrimg; in the direction of their length.

18. In a folding machine, folding mechanism, and means to stretch the.edge portion of the material to be folded, said means comprising twomembers, one having grooves or corrugations of uniform depth and theother having ribs ng in depth from one end to the other and tapering inthe direction of its length.

19. In a machine of the class described, a folder, a movable stretchingmember, means for moving the stretcher toward the folder to stretch theedge portion of the work and then away from the folder, and means formoving the folder across the path of the stretcher for folding the work.

20. In a machine of the class described, a folder, :1 movable stretchingelement to he moved toward the folder to stretch the work and then to bemoved away from the work, and means for moving the folder first in thepath of the stretching element and then laterally across said path forfolding the work.

21. In a machine of the class described, a work-supporting table, meansfor holding the work on the table in one position during the entireoperation of the machine, means for stretching a concavely curved edgeportion of the work, and means for folding subsequently the stretchededge portion of the work onto the body of the work.

22. In a machine of the class described, a work-supporting table, meansfor holding the work on the table, means for stretching the edge portionof the work, and means for folding the edge portion of the work oversaid holding means and pressing the folded edge against the work.

23. In a machine of the class described, a worlesupport ing table, meansfor clamping the work upon the table,

means for stretching an extended portion of the edge of the work, andmeans for folding said stretched edge over on the body of the worksupported on the table.

'24. In a folding machine, a table, a folder movable relatively theretoto fold the work, and means mounted on the folder to stretch the edgeportion of the work.

25. In a machine of the class described, a work supporting table, afolder movable relatively thereto to make a fold, and-means mounted-onthe folder to stretch the edge portion of the work, said meanscomprising two normally separated corrugated members, means to move onerelative to the other, and means to move one'toward the other prior tothe folding operation.

26. In a machine of the class described, a folder, means to stretch atone operation an extended part of the edge portion of the work to befolded, said means comprising a movable stretching element, and means tomove said stretching element independently of the folder.

2?. A folding machine having in combination, a stretcher arranged tostretch the edge of the work, a folder arranged for movement to turn upsaid edge on both sides of the stretched portion to fold the edge overon the body of the work and to press the fold, and actuating mechanismfor said parts.

A folding machine having in combination, a work supporting table havingan upper face to support the body of the work, means for stretching atone operation an extended portion of the edge of the work, a folderarranged to fold said stretched edge over on the work sup ported on saidupper face of the table, and actuating mechanism for said parts.

A folding machine having in combination, a work supporting table, afolder, stretching means, means for .actuating the' stretching means tostretch the edge portion of the work, and means for actuating the folderto told at one operation an extended portion of the edge of the work ona line at the edge of the work supporting table and to press the foldagainst the body of'the work supporting table.

30. A folding machine having in combination, a folder, stretching meanscomprising a movable member, means to move said movable member tostretch the edge portion of the work, means for causing the folder tofold at one operation the entire portion of said edge presented to themachine, and means for supporting the bodyof the work in one positionduring such operation.

31. In a folding machine, in combination, folding mechanism including afolder and actuating means therefor, a stretching member carried by thefolder, and means for actuating said stretching member, said actuatingmeans being arranged to permit said stretching member to be moved withrelation thereto in the operationof the folder.

In a folding machine in combination, a movable stretching member and acombined folder and coiiperab ing stretching member having provision forpermitting the active face of the movable stretching member to passbelow its work supporting face. means for actuating the movablestretching member, and means for moving the folder first perpendicularlyto the work and then parallel therewith for folding the work.

33. A folding machine having in combination, a work supporting table, acombined folder. presser and stretching member, and another stretchingmember which cooperates with said combined folder, presscr andstretching member to stretch the edge of the work.

34. A folding machine having in combination, a folder, a movablestretching member which cooperates with said folder to stretch the edgeportion of the work, means for moving the st1 :hiug member independentlyof the folder, and means for actuating the folder to fold the edge ofthe work on both sides of the stretched portion and press the foldededge against the body of the work.

35. A folding machine having in combination, a folder, means to stretchthe edge portion of the work before the folder begins to operate, meansfor causing the folder to fold the stretched edge portion of the work,and means for holding the body 01' the work in one position during saidoperations.

36. A folding machine having in combination, a stretching member, afolder provided with an upper face to support the edge of the workduring the operation of the stretching member, and means for actuatingthe folder first to lift the edge of the work and then to fold the edgeover on the body of the work.

37. A folding machine having in combination, a former and a tablearranged to hold the work between them. means for stretching the edgeportion of the work, a folder to fold said edge portion over the formerand press the folded edge against the body of the work, and actuatingmeans for said parts.

38. A folding machine having in combination, a table for supporting thework, means for stretching the edg, portion of the work, a folderarranged to fold at: one operation the entire stretched edge portion ofthe work along a line which lies substantially within the plane of thebody of the work, and actuating mechanism for said pans,

IL). A folding machine having in combination, a work supporting table,means for holding the body of the work on said table, a folder. :1stretching member, means for operating the stretching mcmlmr to stretchthe edge portion oi the work before the folder begins to operate, andmcans for causing the folder to fold the edge of the work on both sidesof said stretched portion com'urrcutly.

it]. A folding machine having in combination. means for stretching aconcaveiy curved edge portion of the work, a folder arranged to fold atone operation the entire stretched concavoly curved edge portion along aline which lies substantially within the plane of the body of the work.and actuating mechanism for said parts.

in testimony whereof, i have sigiicd my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN A. SIAHTllAl.

Witnesses ll. 1. lnmxowon'rn. L. H. A'r'rw i LL.

